Iowa Prison Industries, the ISU Alumni Association and an integrated studio arts class may initially seem to some people like an unlikely trio. However, this trio has joined together to utilize their resources in order to carry out a different type of project.

The project began when Iowa Prison Industries contacted Chris Martin, associate professor in art and design, last semester.

According to the Iowa Prison Industries’ website, “Iowa Prison Industries is the work arm of the Iowa Department of Corrections, teaching offenders in work programs the skills needed to be successful citizens upon release.” With the presence of a new director, Iowa Prison Industries had become interested in acquiring a new design for the furniture that they manufacture.

Chris Martin expressed his enthusiasm in Iowa Prison Industries’ mission.

“I believe that it is important for us to recognize people’s dignity, no matter who they are,” Martin said.

After being approached by Iowa Prison Industries, Martin turned to the students of his integrated studio arts class for ideas. His students took on the task of creating furniture designs to be used by Iowa Prison Industries. Now furniture designs have been created, and students will be manufacturing prototypes within the next five weeks.

The Alumni Association is in charge of the marketing for this project. The furniture that will be manufactured by Iowa Prison Industries will be sold through the Alumni Association to Iowa State alumni.

“We want to create furniture that alumni can treasure and pass on to future generations,” Martin said.

The lumber being used in the manufacturing of these furniture pieces will be coming from ash trees located on Iowa State’s campus. The campus’s ash trees are being thinned from a density of 20 percent to a density of 8 percent in preparation for the emerald ash borer, an exotic beetle that causes mass destruction among ash trees. The emerald ash borer is expected to arrive on campus within the next 10 years.

Another purpose for the removal of the ash trees is to increase the diversity of tree species on campus. All ash trees that are removed are being replaced with a different tree species.

This plan is part of the TreeCycle Program, a program that ensures all suitable trees that come down on campus are salvaged for lumber to be reused in class or on other campus projects.

“We want to make sure that our resources are used in the best possible way,” said Rhonda Martin, landscape architect at Iowa State.

The proceeds from this project will go toward scholarship funds for integrated studio arts classes.